All We Know is Falling
by The Electric Reader
Summary: Have you ever thought about what it'd be like to be in Katniss' shoes? Look into my world. a tiny girl with a single mother get's drafted into the hunger games with almost no chance to survive. Will she make it back to her family and her sweetie?
1. Chapter 1: family

I have decided (since I have A LOT of free time) to write a story about a very great book. Haven't we all wondered what it would be like to be in Katniss' shoes?

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**Family**

I climbed out my window and onto the roof. It was almost midnight and the rest of district 2 was asleep. It's our district's job to provide a militia for all of Panem, the land I live in. this means all of the city would be asleep because they have to be up at 6 in the morning for PMST, or Panem Military Strategic Training. My mother was in the militia. We, as in her, my two younger brothers, and I, used to live in district 7 where we would starve every single day. My mother was too old to take out a tesserae and I was too young at that time.

Six years ago, when I was only ten-years-old, district 2 started to recruit from other districts. My mother saw this as our only beacon of hope and joined. I had to leave all of my friends and family but it was worth it. The capitol feeds district 2 very well, considering we need strength to fight in case another revolution breaks out.

I refuse to let Col, my 15-year-old brother, take out any tesserae. If he ever got picked for the games he would die in an instant. He's always been the puniest one is his class. My other brother, Branighan, is only 4 so he's totally out of question when it comes to tesserae. The chosen ones, or tributes as we call them, are usually a gigantic list of things. These are: tall, muscular, heavy, smart, and well-trained to stay alive in the arena. Not all tributes are this way, mostly just tributes from our district plus districts 1 and 4. Col is smart, but not smart enough.

Why, do you ask, would a family from district 2, a district notorious for never going without, have to take out a tesserae? Well, because the capitol decides that even though they give us food, they do not give much food to recruits from other districts. Recruits don't get much of anything really. We live in a separate part of town called the Guard. They call it this because we're separated from the rich part of district 2 and out part is guarded. This leaves us in crappy little houses with little food. The very reasons we tried to get rid of by moving to a new district. But sadly, we can't run away from it.

The stars looked beautiful. I almost wished I had Ash with me. Usually at this time I'd sneak down the vines on the side of the house to go see him but tonight, I just wanted to be alone. His usual cheery demeanor would usually cheer me up, but not before a reaping. I couldn't imagine leaving my family and my boyfriend behind. I especially couldn't imagine Col taking out a tesserae. Even if it was just for a few years, anything that increases the chances of him getting chosen will get him chosen, him being the most unlucky person in the entire world.

Most of the kids my age in the district 2 are huge but not me. The windows in every house are small, about a foot by a foot and a half. Any of the other kids can't fit out these windows. It comes in handy to go see Ash. The front doors of the houses in the guard have an automatic locking system. At 10 o'clock the doors lock and you can't get in or out until 5 the next morning and if you're caught outside after 5 times you're killed, but they won't tell anyone how.

I've been outside after curfew once a week for the past year and I've never been caught once. The guards look for huge 200 pound kids lumbering around. I'm small. I barely break 120 pounds and I'm only 5'1. I can sneak around the guard without making a sound. The hard part is getting outside the fence. Ash is from district 2 we call them the towns or townies. I should sneak out tonight, the night before the reaping. But if I get chosen tomorrow, I don't want to spend my last night with him….it'll just make it harder from him when I get killed…

It's all up to me, Melody Harp. I will have my name in 20 times this year.

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Yeah, I'll admit, this part is preeeeeetty boring. But hey, you need this information. The next chapter Melody becomes a super spy! :O


	2. Chapter 2: reaping day

BTW "The Hunger Game" was written by Suzanne Collins, not me so copyright laws. yeah.  
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Reaping Day**

_I dreamt about Ash. _

_He was crying. He always cried a lot._

_The hands guided me._

_I couldn't talk. I couldn't move._

_The hands pushed me away from my Ash. I didn't want to leave him. I never wanted to leave him._

I woke up freezing like I always do. I could tell by the amount of light in the room that it was way too early to be awake on a reaping day. I pulled the blankets as tight as I could around me and tried to go back to sleep but I just couldn't. I got out of bed and slipped on a pair of jeans over my flimsy pajama shorts. I went into the only bathroom in the house and ran a brush through my hair and a toothbrush over my teeth.

When I went back into my bedroom I grabbed a low-cut tank top and threw it on as I climbed out the small window. It was 5 in the morning but overcast so it was dark enough for me to sneak through the gate without my card. I didn't want to get it from my mom or steal it from her and get in trouble later for going to see Ash. I climbed down the vines and snuck through backyards until I reached the gate.

I was very lucky this morning, all the guards had been called away to set up for the reaping. I wedged my way under the small section in the fence I always do and walked onto the main road.

I didn't have to sneak in town. Once I was here the guards thought I was a townie. I guess I was pretty enough. Most girls from the guard where plain looking and ragged. Most had mangled looking hair and wild eyes from years of scouring for food in their old districts. I took pride in my appearance. I brushed my hair at least twice a day. My mother was very proud of my golden hair. It fell in long waves to the center of my back very neat and orderly.

I was lucky to get a guy from town. Most of the guys from town won't take a second look at a girl from the guard. The minute I walked into class though, I could feel Ash's eyes follow me until I'd left. He says my eyes are the thing that got him. Most girls in Panem have brown eyes, unless you're from district 1, they're famous from blonde hair and pale, pale blue eyes. You do find blue eyes in some districts, but they'll always be the same very pale blue color.

He says my eyes are like water, the perfect blue-green color. When I wear a green shirt they're just bright green, not a hint of blue in sight. He says eyes like mine are one in a million. He always says he wishes he looked like me. He has madly curly brown hair that's always perfectly unkempt and joyful honey-brown eyes.

I made sure no one was looking before I ducked behind Ash's house. I quickly and silently opened it 1st floor window and slid in. the windows in the town houses are larger, no one cares if they get in and out at night or not. His bed was against the wall so I had to sit on the windowsill for a second to take my shoes off and put them outside on the ground. I gracefully jumped across his bed and onto the floor beside it without making a sound. I didn't need him or his parents waking up.

To me, he looked like an angel all wrapped up in his blanket. His mouth was open, like it always was when he was sleeping. I slipped off my jeans, leaving my shorts on and crawled into bed with him. He didn't even have to open his eyes to know it was me. He just wrapped his arms around me and snuggled me closer to him and I fell back into sleep.

He woke me up around 8. Well, he didn't shake me or tell me to wake up, but he played with my hair and talked to me until I opened my eyes. He always said I was a better listener when I slept. Even just propped up on one elbow he looked huge to me. He was a whole foot taller than me at 6'1 and a good 50 pounds heavier. One of his hands was the same size as both of mine.

"You're awake." He said to me. Smiling and still playing with my hair

"Yes I am, but I wish I could just sleep forever. Too bad today is the 50th reaping."

"You're not going to be picked. You only have your name in 20 times. Besides, Willow has been bragging about volunteering for this year's games." He said as he sat up.

"I had a dream about it Ash. The mayor called my name. You were crying. There were no volunteers."

"Well, maybe this dream won't come true. Maybe this one's different. You're probably just scared baby."

"You know they always come true." I sat up and hugged him. We sat there for a while I silence. I got sick of being quiet so I interrupted. "I better get home before my mother wakes up and finds out I snuck out."

"Ok baby." Ha gave me a quick kiss as I leaned out the window to get my shoes "And trust me, you won't get picked. And even if you do there's always Willow."

"Ok. I trust you. Now bye, she'll be up soon!"

"Just one more thing, forgetting something. Like, oh, pants?" I looked down to notice I still had my short pajama shorts on and he threw me my jeans. I put them on and snuck around the building when I heard Ash yell.

"MEL!!" I ran back to see what he wanted, preparing for the worst. He was sticking half out of the window waiting for me because he was stuck.

"What do you need baby?" I asked him, laughing hysterically and helping him back into his room.

"Well I was wondering…" he said nervously blushing, "will you wear this?" He took off his necklace, a plain brown twine with 3 rings on it, and held it out to me.

I remember him telling me how he got it. His best friend in the whole world had got it from his father just before his father got publicly murdered for treason against the Capitol. Ash's friend had given it to him just after he got drafted into the hunger games when they were both 12 years old. His friend died on the first day of the games. This necklace has been his most prized possession ever since.

I stared at him in my loss of words. "Baby, just say yes" he said slipping the necklace around my neck and giving me the greatest kiss ever. "I love you" he said as he closed the window, leaving me staring, mouth agape, and shuffling out onto the street.

I finally realized my mom would be up soon and started hurrying so fast I bumped right into Willow. She was a 6'3 solid wall of around 225 pounds. Unfortunately this was all muscle and unfortunately she wanted my boyfriend. She glared and snarled at me until I scurried away in fear. She was never that good looking making her even more ferocious and I wasn't about to mess with her. I had a feeling she hated me more than everyone else because of Ash. Everyone knew she'd liked him since the first time they met, but he picked the new girl over her.

It was 9 o'clock by the time I snuck back through my window. I only had until noon to be ready for the reaping. I heard footsteps coming up the stairs and threw off my jeans and crawled into bed, pretending to sleep. My mom came in and sat on the bed, rubbing my hair. It didn't feel as good as when Ash did it.

"Wake up sweetie. The reaping is in a few hours and we have to make you beautiful!" I pretended to wake up, yawning and stretching. She had a dress in her hands. It went to the middle of my thighs and matched the color of my eyes with silver dots of all sizes on it. The straps on it were about an inch wide and hung right on the edge of my shoulders going into a v-neck.

I almost cried. It must've cost a whole year worth of our savings to buy this. I knew what she meant by the fake enthusiasm and the dress. I was getting picked today and there was no way around it. My mom was a psychic. If she had a dream about something it came true. She must've had the same dream as me. It was inevitable.

She helped me put make-up on and I did my hair. I had a ribbon similar to the color of my dress and I tied it into a bow on my head, leaving the rest to hang down. My hair was almost to my waist and I was very proud of it. My mom had left to go get the boys ready and I went downstairs to make lunch for everyone. My mom walked in when I was almost done. She didn't say anything but I didn't need to turn and look at her to know what she was thinking.

"It's going to be me, isn't it?" I asked her, speaking to my lumpy tesserae grain and berry muffins.

"It's not definite sweetie. It was just a dream. Sometimes dreams don't come true." She said softly. She knew it was a lie just as well as she knew I was. "You look beautiful." She said trying to make me feel better, knowing her lie didn't help. "Those sponsors won't be able to keep their votes off of you. You'll win." She hugged me from behind. I knew I'd miss her, but I couldn't stop thinking about Ash. He was so fragile; he'd just fall apart if I got picked.

The reaping came too soon.

Walking to the town center was like a death sentence for me. Like my walk to the electric chair. We ran into Ash on our way and he held my hand as we walked but I didn't look at him. I didn't want him to see the truth written all over my face. Mom and Branighan were outside the fence, Col in the middle but closer to the fence in our huge expanse of teenagers. Ash and I stood next to each other holding hands, closer to the fence because we were both 16, him to the left and me to the right because of the gender separation.

I looked at him, right in the eyes. He smiled at first but then saw it. He knew about the dream and what was about to happen in less then 10 minutes just looking at me.

His face fell and he looked at his shoes. I could almost hear his thoughts they were so clear from his body language. Good thing the mayor started talking or we would have both started crying right then and there. He talked about the history of Panem and reminded us all why we hold the hunger games every year. He ended his speech by giving special congratulations to 50 years of the games and introducing Effie Trinket, district 2's coordinator for the games and Karsh Roth our last hunger games winner.

It was Effie's job as coordinator to pick the names for the tributes. Every step she took closer to the glass orbs that held all the names felt like a million years. One step- my heart jumps and starts beating faster. Two steps- I see a tear fall down Ash's check and land in the dirt at our feet. Three steps- I hold onto Ash and wish as hard as I can to be anywhere else but there. Four steps- she reaches the orbs.

"Ladies first!" I know what the next words out of her mouth were going to be. I practically said them for her. "Melody Harp! Oh what a pretty name." she smiled as she searched the crowd for a girl that fitted the name, or was at least moving towards the stage. I didn't want to move. I looked at Ash begging him with my eyes to help me out but he was crying. I wanted to stay there just for him and make his tears go away. Someone pried me off of him and hands pushed me towards the stage strongly but gently.

I got a good look at Effie when I got up to the stage. She looked very young; mid-20's at least and had a huge cloud of blonde hair around her head, very capitol-like. She shook my hand and asked for volunteers. The silence I'd dreaded follower her request.

"Alright then, I present miss Melody Harp your new District 2 female tribute! Boys are next. Antony Gold! Please step up here boy, quickly now!" I felt like she was being very harsh with the boy. Poor guy was only 14 at the most. One of the guard; Skinny and ragged looking.

I was so distracted by the wet spot forming on Antony's pants that I was lost when Effie was telling me to choose. I guess when I was staring at Antony's crotch Effie called for volunteers. For the first time since the games started there were 2 guys that volunteered simultaneously. One of them was a huge, scary brute that could kill me just looking at me, named Titus Carival, definitely a Career Tribute.

The second was Ash Wentern.


	3. Chapter 3: reaping night

**Reaping Night**

I looked at Ash questionably. Why would he volunteer? I know Ash would kill anyone in his way just to protect me, but what if we were the last ones? I know I couldn't kill him and I know he definitely couldn't kill me. I wouldn't let him kill himself and he wouldn't let me kill myself. If we weren't the last ones we'd have to watch the other due because we wouldn't be away from each other one second in the games.

So who do I choose? The guy who could get me through the games in one piece and would eventually have to die or watch me die. Or the guy who could kill me taping me with his pinky finger and not think anything of it? I chose Titus the bloodthirsty. I couldn't let Ash die for me. I knew I could survive, I was smart.

I was immediately escorted to a small room in town hall to await my family and friends. My mother and brothers were first to come. It was the usual I would have guessed for a family to do, hugging and crying, telling their son/daughter to do what it took to get back home again. Little Branighan sat on the floor looking at all of us, not really understanding what was going on. Soon some men came and took them away.

Next I thought was Ash but it just turned out to be some of my best friends from school. They told me how Willow didn't volunteer because to payback for stealing Ash from her. They told me how much they'd miss me and told me I'd make it through the games alive. I could see in their eyes that I was already dead to them.

After that I waited. After about 10 minutes I started to hyperventilate. I though Ash wasn't coming. A man came in and started to tell me where to go to catch the train when Ash busted through the door and told the man I had one more visitor. I almost fell over in relief, until I remembered I was leaving him to go fight to the death in some unknown place.

I asked him why he'd volunteered when he knew one of us was going to have to die and he told me he'd give all of his strength just to keep me alive. It was his job to keep me living and if he couldn't do it what was he living for? He told me that since he'd met me his world had completely changed and it was all about me. "Here's the shirt I was wearing this morning. I figured you'd want it to remember me by until you got to the games." He said handing me a plain black t-shirt. What he said next was what shocked me the most. He got down on one knee and said the words every girl waits a lifetime to hear.

"Melody," he said pausing from nerves, "will you marry me? Well, when you come back of course?" he pulled out a tiny ring that was silver with a huge stone that matched my eyes and little tiny diamonds around it. I couldn't say anything. I started to cry and fell down on my knees and wrapped my arms around him, kissing him and kissing him until the man came to take him away.

"Yes!" I shouted as he was getting pulled out of the room. And just like that, he was gone. I held onto his shirt as one of the men escorted me out of the building to the train station. The tiny ring on my finger felt so out of place. I wouldn't need it where I was going.

The train was interesting. I had my own bedroom and a huge bathroom all to myself. The bed was enormous and had buttons that controlled how hard or soft you wanted the bed. I turned the knob all the way down so the bed was completely soft and melted into it. It was about 2 o'clock in the afternoon but I felt like it'd been years since I was lying in bed with Ash at 8 this morning. I pressed his shirt against my face and smelled it. Just like him. I fell into a deep sleep.

When I'm very stressed out my mind creates good dreams to keep me from going crazy. This time I saw my family and Ash together. They looked like they were going out for a picnic on this little bit of grass we have in town center. They were all wearing completely white and the sun was shining beautifully on them. They were so happy. That's when I walked in. I was in a little while sundress and carrying a big white bundle. At first I though it was more food or just a blanket for the picnic until I sat down next to Ash on the blanket and he looked at it. He smiled at the bundle and I looked down to realize it was a baby.

He was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen, he has jet black hair like my father but his hair was a mass of curls on his head, like Ash's. He'd been sleeping but when he realized people were looking at him he woke up and looked at us. His eyes were the same color as Ash's but huge like mine. His nose resembled Ash's in a way but the smile he gave me was all mine.

I awoke with a start and almost screamed when I saw Karsh leaning over me, hand stretched out like he was just about to wake me up.

"It's time for dinner…." He said, probably feeling very awkward. I could see the embarrassment all over his face, but he could probably see it all over mine. I didn't talk; I just followed him out of the room. I figured I'd stay small and weak. That'd be my angle. If I pretend to be the least threatening out of everyone, I could win this. I needed to get back to Ash.

Walking down to the dining room I kept peaking at my ring. I was still in my dress but I reached up and touched my head to find that my ribbon had shifted to the side of my head so I fixed it so it was straight. Dinner looked much better than anything my mother had ever made. Even better than anything I'd ever made. There were too many courses to count, even though I was full by the 2nd one. Titus kept on eating everything in front of him while I picked at my food. I knew I needed to eat a lot to keep up my strength in the arena but I just couldn't eat anymore.

Desert was delicious but I was nervous knowing I'd have to watch the other reapings not too long after and see who my competition was. Me nightmare came true just minutes later when we all sat down to see the reapings.

I kept my eyes open for possible threats; two huge careers from 1, my name getting called and no one volunteering for me, Ash and Titus volunteering simultaneously, the two from 3 really didn't catch my eye, the girl from 4 was rather large and fierce looking but the boy was no bigger than Ash. No one really caught my eye from 5, 6, 7, or 8. They were mostly 12 year olds or pretties that had probably got everything they ever wanted their whole lives. One boy from district 9 caught my eye. He was very small for a 12 year old with a thick crop of curly black hair and big brown eyes just peaking out from under it. He was almost the mirror image of my dream.

Both from district 10 were kind of big. They were brother and sister though, which must've been terrible for their family knowing at least one wouldn't be coming home. District 11 also had two very small children, I wish I could protect them all but I vowed to keep that little boy from 9 alive as much as I could District 11 also had two very small children, I wish I could protect them all but I vowed to keep that little boy from 9 alive as long as I could. A tall strong boy from 12 was chosen. All I could say was he was absolutely gorgeous in a bad-boy sort of way. He had light blue eyes and straight brown hair and tanned skin, his female opposite was indeed his opposite. Definitely not what I'd call gorgeous although they had similar features.

I knew I had a bog day ahead of me tomorrow so I made sure to get to bed early to ensure I'd get enough sleep before the opening ceremony tomorrow and the meeting with my stylist. Our outfits in district 2 usually included some kind of ugly camouflage dresses or something. One thing I knew: I did not look good in camo.


End file.
